The cost of living crisis has everyone tightening their purse strings. Holidays on hold, energy bills eye wateringly bad, grocery lists looking bizarrely mammoth. And it’s the latter that’s often first to be given the third degree (those lamented holidays are long forsaken). Add to that the pressure to live better, healthier lives which can often incur additional costs, and you’ve got yourself something of a quandary.
To add a little more pain to the situation, the latest stats show that most of us aren’t consuming enough veggies and fruit (* insert guilts *). Australian dietary guidelines recommend people aged nine and older should consume two serves of fruit and five serves of vegetables each day for optimal health. But in 2022 the ABS reported only 4% of Australians met the recommendations for both fruit and vegetable consumption.
We all know that fruit and veggies are imperative to optimal health, they offer a gold mine of vitamins, minerals and fibre. But the reality is, we’re not bumping those numbers up as much as we’d hope.
So what’s the solution?
Let’s look beyond fresh – and sometimes expensive — produce to see how we can up our intake. Let’s look outside the proverbial veggie box. (Couldn’t help it.)
Are frozen veggies and fruit better than fresh?
While fresh produce is often given the gold star in terms of nutrition, it’s not always the case. Why? Here’s a case for frozen fruit and veg.
- Nutrients in fresh produce can decline in transit from the paddock to the kitchen, and even while stored in your fridge.
- Frozen vegetables may actually be higher in some nutrients such as vitamin C and E ‘cause they’re snap frozen very close to the time of harvest.
- Minerals such as calcium, iron and magnesium stay at similar levels in frozen produce compared to fresh.
- Frozen veggies are a great alternative to food waste – no sad ol’ zucchini at the back of the fridge. Use what you need, when you need.
- You can freeze veggies and fruit that you bulk buy on sale, which is practically making you money.
- Frozen veggies and fruit are versatile af. Think veggies in curries, stews, slow cookers, soups, pies and quiches. Fruit can be added to smoothies, pies, cakes, and breakfasts.
Are canned vegetables healthy?
Certainly less expensive, canned food can be a great substitute for fresh in the right context. It’s quick, easy and inexpensive.
The biggest drawback is that we often cook canned veggies, which means heat-sensitive vitamins – such as Vitamin C – can lose their nutrition. Simply try to add them later in the cooking process to avoid significant nutrient loss. So, ,yes, there’s a time and place for canned veg.
What you may not know – canning is actually a preservation technique, so no preservatives or excess salt with canned veggies. Having said that, it’s important to always check the ingredient list on cans, and all products. Take branding with a grain of salt (eh!), too.It may claim some wonderful, fabulous thing, but be hosting another nasty.
I highly recommend heading over to Supermarket Swap to see great alternatives when it comes to canned goods, and any groceries for that matter. It’s shopping without the objectionable bits.
Fermented veggies to add in some extra nutrients (and save a buck)
You may think that fermentation is a recent flash in the pan, but it’s actually a historic food processing and preservation technique.
Fermentation is highly nutritious because it retains vitamins and minerals of fresh veggies so well, and it’s incredibly cost and waste-conscious. Find yourself with extra cabbage, onion, cucumbers, cauliflower, green beans, celery – you name it, into the jar it goes.
Studies have also suggested that fermented food can be absorbed more easily than fresh. And we already know they boast probiotics which are gold dust for our gut microbiome.
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5 other tips to get your fresh fix
Evangeline Mantzioris Program Director of Nutrition and Food Sciences at the University of South Australia, recommends five other ways to get your fresh fix, if that’s still your MO.
Here are some things you can do.
Buy in season
Based on supply and demand principles, buying local seasonal vegetables and fruit will always be cheaper than those that are imported out of season from other countries.
Don’t shun the ugly fruit and vegetables
Most supermarkets now sell “ugly” fruit and vegetables, that are not physically perfect in some way. This does not affect the levels of nutrients in them at all, or their taste.
Reduce waste
On average, an Australian household throws out A$2,000–$2,500 worth of food every year. Fruit, vegetables and bagged salad are the three of the top five foods thrown out in our homes. So properly managing fresh produce could help you save money (and benefit the environment). To minimise waste, plan your meals and shopping ahead of time. And if you don’t think you’re going to get to eat the fruit and vegetables you have before they go off, freeze them.
Swap and share
There are many websites and apps which offer the opportunity to swap or even pick up free fresh produce if people have more than they need. Some local councils are also encouraging swaps on their websites, so dig around and see what you can find in your local area.
Gardening
Regardless of how small your garden is you can always plant produce in pots. Herbs, rocket, cherry tomatoes, chillies and strawberries all grow well. In the long run, these will offset some of your cost on fresh produce. Plus, when you have put the effort in to grow your own produce, you are less likely to waste it.
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